Return bend



Nov. 20, 1934. A. H. MOORHEAD RETURN BEND Filed Jan. 24, 1934 In-n/enm @{mlii 31 came UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE 1,981,061 RETURN BEND Arthur H. Moorhead, Atchison, Kansq assignor to The Locomotive Finished Material Company, Atchison, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Application January 24, 1934, Serial No. 708,056

Claims. (01. 137-76) My invention relates to return bends for pipes Figure 1 is a top plan view of a return bend and more particularly to return bends for use on without the closure members; with a part at the high pressure tubular oil stills, or in similar right being in section. 1 structures in which a fluid under high pressure Figure 2 is a partial side elevation and longi- 5 is employed or treated, tudinal sectional view of the return bend shown 60 In tubular oil stills the hot oil passing through in Figure l. the various banks of tubes causes a deposit of Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View of a coke or carbon on the walls of the tubes which portion of the return bend with a closure member necessitates frequent cleaning of the tubes. It and holding means in position; the section of the is therefore necessary that proper access to the return bend being substantially on the line 33 65 interiors of the various tubes be permitted withof Figure 1. v out necessitating dismantling of the tubes or of Figure 4 is a top plan view, with a portion in the return bend itself. section, showing a modified form.

Return bends of the type in question are gen- In the particular exemplifications of the inven erally of elongated or rectangular and hollow tion, the return element or bend 10 is illustrated 70 construction with one longitudinal wallprovided as applicable to four pipes or tubes and therefore with suitable openings arranged in predetermined the one longitudina de Wa l is ShOWIl p d and proper spaced relation lengthwise of the bend with four pipe or tube receiving openings 11; the element, while the opposite longitudinal wall is openin s b g f size and construction in keep- '20 also provided with openings arranged directly ing with the size and natureof the tubes which 75 opposite to the first mentioned openings and may be expanded into place. therefore in alignment with the tube-ends secured As is apparent thefluid or oil coming from in the first mentioned openings. The second the end of one tube may freely flow into the end mentioned openings constitute the clean-out holes of an adjacent tube. I

and permit proper access to the tubes connected Where these return bends are employed in oil 80 into the return bend member. stills, it is'necessary to provide openings in direct 'The second mentioned openings are provided alignment with the tube ends inserted in openwith suitable closure members or plugs which ings 11, to permit easy access to the tubes for have a tight sliding fit in the openings; and these the purpose of removing the coke or carbon,

plugs therefore are held in place by suitable preswhich forms during oil distillation and enable 85 sure applying elements generally in the nature the various tubes of the still to be cleaned. of screw-bolts which are carried by and have Therefore, the longitudinal wall opposite to the adjustable relation with yokes or toggles. I wall having openingsll is likewise provided with My invention more specifically stated relates to openings 12 which are in concentric alignment the construction and formation of elements with the openings 11. I

whereby the yokes or toggles are firmly held in The walls of the openings 12 are shown preferposition to permit the screw-bolts to exert proper ably tapered inwardly, see Figures 2 and 3, to pressure on the closure member or p ugs. receive tapered closure members or plugs 13, see

The invention has for its object the provision Figure 3,; g H

40 of yoke or toggle holding means so arranged as Oil stills are usually operated under relatively 95 to permit the tube centers and hence the centers high pressure and it is essential therefore to proof the tube receiving openings to be closer tovide means for. securely holding the closure gether, a condition extremely desirable in the members or plugs13 in place. industry. This means, according to my invention, con- A further object of the invention is to provide sists in providing the longitudinal side or wall 100 such toggle holding means formed integral with having openings 12 with integral and outwardly the header or return bend which will also constidisposed lobes or posts 14, 14 at opposite ends of tute reenforcing members or ribs disposed (31- the return bend 10; and with the sinuous ribs 15, agonally across the top of the header or return disposed intermediate of adjacent openings 12.

bend. The lobes or posts 14 and the ends of the ribs 5 The objects and advantages of my invention 15 are intended to be arcuately disposed in close will be readily comprehended from the detailed proximity to the openings 12 as shown in description of the exemplifications of my inven- Figure 1. tion as disclosed in the accompanying drawing, As more clearly shown in Figure 1, the upwherein: standing lobes or earsof two adjacent openings 1 12 are combined into a diagonally disposed rib 15 extending from one longitudinal side edge to the opposite longitudinal side edge; with the end portions of each rib 15, where they approach the perimeters of adjacent openings 12, made arcuate. The arcuate end portions of each sinuous rib 15 are each provided with a suitable slot 16; the

slot 16' in one rib 15 being diagonally in alignment with a slot 16 in the end of an adjacent rib, see Figure 1.

The posts 14 at opposite ends of the return bend 10 are also disposed adjacent to the perimeters of the openings 12 at the ends of the return bend; and these posts are preferably also made arcuate, thus, like the ends, of the ribs 15,

.permitting them to be in close proximity .to the openings without unduly enlarging the transverse dimensions or width of the'return' bend 10. The posts Mare also each provided with a slot 17, similar to the slots 16 and placed in diagonal alignment with the slots 16 in the ribs whose ends are adjacent the openings 12 at the ends of the return bend. i

The slots 16in the ribs and slots 17' in the posts are intendedto receive the wings or ends of a yoke or toggle as shown at 18 in Figure 3. These toggles 1-8'are of Well known construction; the central portions being provided with tapped openings to receive the clamps or set-screws as shown at 19 in Figure 3;"the ends of the setscrews being made to engage the plugs 13 and firmly hold them in place against the pressure of the fluid.

Aside from the function of holding and providing purchase for the yokes or toggles, the ribs 15, by reason oftheir construction, also greatly reenforce the outer longitudinal wall'of the return bend against any buckling or bending tendency.

In Figure 4 I illustrate a modified form of yoke or toggle holding'means in the nature of a continuous serpentine rib 20, which extends from 10 That is to say, the rib 20 extends from one longitudinal edge of the return bend, partially about the plug receiving opening, and to the other longitudinal edge, thus providing a con tinuous reenforcing rib extending from end to end which will prevent any possibility of bending the header or return ben'd.

The arcuate portions of the rib 20 are also preferably arranged in close proximity to the perimeters of the plug receiving openings and these portions are provided with suitable slots 16.

The header on the sides of the plug receiving openings, which are not encircled by the serpentine rib 20, is provided with ears or posts 21 which are also preferably made arcuate and arranged in close proximity to the perimeters of the openings.

These posts or ears 21 also have slotsl'l like posts 14 and similar to the slots 16 inthe rib and arranged diagonally opposite to the slots 16 in the rib, as shown in the drawing.

These slots, like those in the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2, are intended to receive the ends of suitable yokes or toggles which extend transversely of the openings, after the closure plugs 13 have been put into place, and provide support for the pressure applying screw-bolts.

The sinuous or serpentine types of ribs, as heretofore described, permits closer tube centers to be had, which is extremely desirable in the oil still industry and which was not possible with return bends of this general type; while at the same time the upper or outer side of the header or return bend is greatly reenforced against any bending possibility. The sinuous diagonally disposed and serpentine types of reenforcing ribs permit the manufacture of lighter headers or return bends than heretofore has been possible and yet possessing the necessary strength; a decided advantage where the headers must be handled in the erection of large banks of tubes.

In box type return bends, as heretofore employed, the toggle holding posts or mule ear projections were so located that the toggles would be disposed at right angles to the length of the bend or fitting; The width of the mule ears necessary to provide therequired strength limited the minimum distance between tube centers possible to be used. Whereas, with my improved design of combining two or more mule ears disposed' adjacent opposite sides of the header and forming one or more cross-ribs on the top or outer face of the fitting, makes it possible to. reduce the distance between the tube centers, a decided advantage in the refining industry and to produce a lighter and more compact fitting...

Shortening the distance between the tube centers enables the return bend to be made shorter and hence provides a saving in return bend lengths which is greatly desired particularly where large banks of tubes are employed.

In describing the specific exemplifications of the invention, terms have been used for purposes of description and not as terms of limitation as modifications are possible and may be made with out, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is: v

1. A return bend comprising a hollow member,

the opposite longitudinal sides whereof are provided with a. plurality ofaligned openings, the openings in one side being tube end receiving openings while those in the opposite side are clean out and closure-"plug receiving openings,

and yoke or toggle holding means disposed transversely of the hollow member and extending between the perimetersof the openings and the adjacent edges of said member. b

2. A return bend comprising a hollow member, two opposite longitudinal sides whereof are .provided v with openings, one of said longitudinal sides being provided with integral outwardly dise posed toggle holding elements, a part of said elements being in the form of a continuous rib extending in serpentine manner substantially from one end of the member to the other intermediate of the perimeters of the openings and the longitudinal edges of the member, the other part of said elements being .in the form of cars or carrying toggles for maintaining the plugs in place, and toggle holding means formed integral with said longitudinal side of the member, a portion of said means extending between the perimeter of one opening and one longitudinal edge of the member, across said longitudinal side and thence between the perimeter of an adjacent no I opening and the other longitudinal edge of the member, the other portion of said means being disposed adjacent to the obemlngs diametrically opposite to said first mentioned portion, both portions at points diametrically opposite each other being provided with toggle holding surfaces.

4. A return bend comprising a hollow member, one longitudinal side whereof is provided with a plurality of clean-out openings, closure plugs for said openings, plug pressure applying elements, and means formed integral with said member and adapted to hold said pressure applying elements, a portion of said means extending sinuously from one longitudinal edge of the member to the opposite longitudinal edge and in proximity to a plurality of said openings whereby the member is reenforced transversely and longitudinally.

5. A return bend comprising a hollow member,

one longitudinal side whereof is provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced openings, closure plugs for said openings, plug pressureapplying elements, and means formed integral with said longitudinal side and adapted to hold said pressure applying elements, a portion of said means extending sinuously from one longitudinal edge of the member to the opposite longitudinal edge and about a portion of the perimeters of the respective openings, a second portion being disposed adjacent the other portion of the perimeters of the openings, both portions of said means being provided with slots adapted to receive said elements and to hold the same transversely of the openings.

ARTHUR H. MOORHEAD. 

